We have had several family members visit us here in Qatar. Usually in batches of two! We have till date, applied for visit visas for parents and in laws (including brother in law). These are the steps we followed :-

To fill the form in Arabic- Take it to the nearest “typing” centre and get it done for a nominal fee.

We also obtained a letter from the sponsor’s (in whose name the application is) company stating his/her position, salary and “no objection”.

Other documents submitted

Copies of passports of individuals who intend to visit

Copy of sponsor passport

Copy of the sponsor RP page

Copy of the Qatar ID (and carry the original during application)

The first time, we also obtained a statement from the bank (six months). But it was returned to us at the counter, apparently it is not necessary. Possibly because, we were already here as a family (with a valid RP) and therefore were in the 10,000 QAR and above salary bracket. This is just a presumption.

Once the visa has been approved, a 100 QAR fee has to paid (visit a service centre)- 100 QAR per person, per month.

STEP 4- Extension and Medical Commission Testing

If the visitor intends to stay for more than a month, he/she will have to visit the Medical Comission for blood tests and Chest X-Ray. Once the results come in, visit the immigration service centre to pay a 100 QAR fee to extend for another month. Upto three months, things are fairly straight forward; any extension beyond that seems to be up to the discretion of the “captain”.

Easy, peasy!

All the best, folks!

Hope your family comes in soon…

Kindly note– I do not claim to be an expert or an official spokesperson. All this information is to the best of my knowledge. Rules change every day. So, please do cross-check. This is how we did things. I remember being frustrated because we could find any information online. That is the only reason I am doing this- to help fellow expats.

I am a Qatari RP holder staying alongwith my wife and kid both with valid RPs. I also have my mother staying with me, she is on Family Visit Visa valid for next 3 months; My question is that, once my company cancels my RP (after resigning from my current job, say this month); what will be the status of my Mother’s Visit Visa; Will she be able to travel along with all of us, when we leave the country, or she has to exit the county earlier. I can provide more elaborate information, if need be.

Hi,
I have applied for family visa and the status is “deferred”. They are asking to change my profession to ” civil engineer ” from “engineer” to match with my qualification. It may take a long and/or may not possible.

My question is, while my family resident visa application is under “deferred” , can I apply for a family visit visa?

Gud morning sir, for new born after 3 months with penalty how many months he can stay in qatar? For me I have a problem with my bank statement, from my company they are issuing cheque instead of salary so in my bank statement it’s shows clearing deposit but they need salary credit now I don’t have any option or else I can take my statement for the coming 6 months so this 6 months I can pay penalty for my baby?sir plc answer thanks a lot…..god bless. ….

Oops! Sorry for the delayed response Shaheen, unlike earlier I’m just not able to reply to comments and messages immediately- apologies again. These things are very difficult to say for sure- even if there is a rule “written” down somewhere. Save yourself the uncertainty and come via a tourist visa would be my suggestion.

Hi. Can my husband sponsor his in laws (my parents) for a residence permit? They usually come here with visit visa (family visa). Can their visa transfer to rp? My husband is an engineer. Me n our son already have rp. Please advice about the in laws RP.. Thx.

Im sorry for the delayed response Roro. A residence permit, even for parents is long and complicated process (if at all) I’m told. Please correct me if I’m wrong. So I assume, it would be harder for the in laws.

Hi, got retrenched from my present employer after working for 1.5 yrs, and they’re going to cancel my RP by next month, do I need to exit Qatar if my wife/brother will apply for me a family visit visa ? Thanks in advance.

hi i arrived qatar 2 weeks ago and stil dont get id or RP
my company made mistake by putting cook profession in visa
even im working as head chef when they apply for my entry visa
i agreed the contract because
(they promised to changed my visa proffession after 1-2 month)

I believe a visit visa should not be a problem. And the documents required are basic (the ones mentioned above). Either way, just go ahead and apply friend, there is no fee involved (for the application per se, you only have to pay once it is processed and ready) and therefore there is nothing to lose, literally!

Hi Dr. J,
Pls need ur help. My wife and daughter is in family visit visa in qatar. Now 6 months is going to be over. I need them back to here. When will I reapply for the visit visa again for them. Can I take back them with in a month or how much time I have to wait for reapply ?

Hi my husband is leaving for Qatar on business visa for one month later shall be re applied as working visa he is MBA and coming there as a post of asst manager sales. I would like to visit him by December end. Will I be able to come on family visit visa. We would like to really celebrate our first anniversary together

Hi, Do you know what are the restrictions on what you can do if you’re on a Family Visit Visa? I am planning to study Arabic while im here for awhile (visa already extended) and not sure if that is permitted. Thanks!

I work in Qatar Doha and live in company provided accommodation and my salary bracket is close to QAR 20K(company will provide letter for proof of employment and salary).

My RP is still under process and I doubt my QID will be ready a week before Eid 23rd Sep so I can apply visit visa for my family. I am in urgency of getting my family just for 25 days on visit visa on this Eid 22nd Sep 2015. Since I do not have RP /Qatar ID yet how can I apply for visit visa for my family. Please if their is any other process on which I can get my family for few days here just for vacation.

Thanks for the advice. I got Tourist visa for my wife and kid from a agency they will be travelling by Etihad Airways since Qatar airways have some terms of booking a hotel compulsory if travelling with tourist visa. I do not need a hotel since I have accommodation of my own provided by company. They will be staying for 27 days here with me.

I still have doubt, at immigration at Qatar will they still ask for hotel reservation is it something that if you are coming with tourist visa you should stay in hotel? However the agency from where I got the visa told it is not required. Just wanted to cross check with you to clear this doubt and just wanted to make sure things are smooth since my family is travelling first time to Qatar.

Thanks for the advice. I got Tourist visa for my wife and kid from a agency they will be travelling by Etihad Airways since Qatar airways have some terms of booking a hotel compulsory if travelling with tourist visa. I do not need a hotel since I have accommodation of my own provided by company. They will be staying for 27 days here with me.

I still have doubt, at immigration at Qatar will they still ask for hotel reservation is it something that if you are coming with tourist visa you should stay in hotel? However the agency from where I got the visa told it is not required. Just wanted to cross check with you to clear this doubt and just wanted to make sure things are smooth since my family is travelling first time to Qatar.

Thank you. They will be boarding from Bangalore direct flight to Abu Dhabi and from there to Doha with our 4 years old son. She works for Standard Chartered bank and hold couple of Credit cards. I believe they are international cards. However she will be carrying QAR 5K cash just in case. I hope 5K should be enough, just wanted to make their trip a worry free.

I reside in Abu Dhabi and had applied for qatar visit visa at qatar embassy in Abu Dhabi, but the application got rejected. My husband tried applying in qatar the application got rejected again with the reason being the previous application applied in Abu Dhabi is still open with comments “need sponsor letter” . Now the travel agent in Doha says that the application done in Qatar embassy in Abu Dhabi needs to be deleted before new application could be processed from Doha travel agency.

Qatar embassy in Abu Dhabi is unable to help me with deleting the application. Now my question is how long do I have to wait for application to be auto deleted? before my husband can reapply for visit visa for me in Dohaj

I really do not have an “answer” to this conundrum friend! But if you ask me what I would do in such a situation, I would say wait three months. Or if in an urgent situation, you can maybe push your luck hard and reapply in one month.

I reside in Abu Dhabi and had applied for qatar visit visa at qatar embassy in Abu Dhabi, but the application got rejected. My husband tried applying in qatar the application got rejected again with the reason being the previous application applied in Abu Dhabi is still open with comments “need sponsor letter” . Now the travel agent in Doha says that the application done in Qatar embassy in Abu Dhabi needs to be deleted before new application could be processed from Doha travel agency.

Qatar embassy in Abu Dhabi is unable to help me with deleting the application. Now my question is how long do I have to wait for application to be auto deleted? before my husband can reapply for visit visa for me in Doha?

HI! what are the requirements if i will sponsor my mom for a family visit visa..i am husband sponsored by the way… can i be her sponsor to acquire a visa extendable to six months instead of my husband?

Hello Mr/ Ms Q & E,
I understand it is valid for 3 months from the date of issue…as in you have to enter the country in that period. This is very different from the duration of stay though; duration of stay is one month, which can be extended further if applied for.

And please do not quote me on this. I could be wrong, I am not an immigration official and rules as you know change everyday 🙂

My application was deferred. I enquired and they said you have to submit Tenancy contract with Baladiya attestation. I have submitted that document, but did not receive any new receipt from the counter again. Is it like this? And how many days does it take for deferred status to change?

Hi
I submitted the documents at wakra emigration office day before yesterday…and yesterday I Check the status in moi…that time it showing rejected…then today I went their and I meet the captain…he said it is rejected bcz of my profession (my rp is carpenter)….and now the status is CANCELLED..Can I re-apply some other emigration office….pls help me…

Hi.. i have similar condition. Can my husband sponsor his in laws (my parents) for a residence permit in qatar? They usually come here with family visit visa. Can their visa be transfer to rp? My husband is working as an engineer. Me & our son already have rp. Need info for the in laws situation. Thx.

Hello Shabeer!
Yalla, don’t waste anymore time friend. Go and apply! Just add a tenancy/ accommodation/ rental contract along with no objection and 6 month bank statement without fail. And hope for the best. Good luck!

I submit the documents at wakra emigration office for family visit visa….when I check the status in moi that one is rejected…then I went there and talk with them..they are telling bcz of profession…now the status is cancelled…Can I apply again…

Hi
I submitted the documents at wakra emigration office day before yesterday…and yesterday I Check the status in moi…that time it showing rejected…then today I went their and I meet the captain…he said it is rejected bcz of my profession (my rp is carpenter)….and now the status is CANCELLED..Can I re-apply some other emigration office….pls help me…

Hey all. Just applied for visit visa for wife today at the Madinat Khalifa Immigration and was returned asking for Tenancy Contract. They gave a slip listing all documents required. It reads as follows:

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR VISITING VISA ( FAMILY VISA )

1. Visa application form should be typed in Arabic.
2. No-Objection letter from the sponsor company( mention the Job title, salary and no objection to invite for a visiting)
3. Passport and ID copy (sponsor-wife)
4. Passport copy ( the visitor )
5. Proof of relationship between the sponsor and the visitor( in case applying for relatives)
6. Birth certificates for the children ( Only if applying for child)
7. The original Marriage certificate or a copy attested – authorized by the Sponsor Embassy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar ( only in case applying for wife )
8. Working Contract ( only in case applying for wife )
9. Lease agreement ( in case of applying for wife or a bachelor applying for relatives or in case the wife not holding Residence visa )

I am currently on a business visa in Doha valid for 1 month. I don’t have intention of staying in DOHA but did try to process a tourist visa for my wife and two kids through the hotel (Corp Executive Suites).

They submitted the applications on the 10th of May and my kids’ visa where instantly approved. My wife’s visa however, 7 days later, still shows “Under process” although it shows an expiration date of the visa.

Several mentions online state that “Under process” with expiration date is typically that the visa is approved but jus not available yet. I don’t know if this is true.

What are the typical processing time for a tourist visa? Why would the children’s visa be almost instantly approved and wife is taking longer? I am hoping that my wife an kids can be in Doha for at least two weeks before I have to fly back to home country finishing business.

Applied for family visit visa on 6th may till now status is application deferred ur request converted to committee. Checked in counter they asked to wait. Can any one advice what to do or how long will I have to wait?

Hello everyone! I wanted to apply my mother for Family Visit Visa. What documents I need to submit during application and also is there any Salary bracket required in sponsoring my mother? I wanted her to come for a visit before I give birth for my first child. Please do reply ASAP.

Since you are applying for a Visit Visa only, your bank documents may not be required. But my friend you will need a rental agreement for sure. Try to make some kind of rental agreement between you and your building owner.

Hello,
My suggestion would be to carry a bank statement along. Also, try and get hold of a rental agreement of some sort. Helps your chances…
When you go to the service center to submit your documents, they will do a cursory check at the desk; if something is not essential to the application they will return it to you.

We never had to submit bank statements (they were returned to us the first time and we did not submit them thereafter) for visit visas for our family members… I assume that’s because our bank account status and details were already submitted at the time of our (mine and my daughter’s) RP processing..

Also, if the desk clerk tells you a document is missing, please withdraw your application and resubmit it at a later date with the requisite documents instead of just “going with it” and having to deal with a rejected application.

Good afternoon please give me an idea regarding my case..My wife visited here in Qatar for family visit visa last november 2014 and after one month she went back in our country..Is there any possibility if she want to come back here in Qatar but using her remaining five months for her family visit visa?.Thank you in advance..

Good Afternoon! I’m afraid the family visit visa is single entry. You’d have to reapply I assume. And moreover, it is not a blanket six month visa, after the first month, you’d have to extend it and it is up to the authorities to decide the time frame of extension. For eg. I have heard of people not getting an extension after the third month. All this, assuming all the medical commission tests are completed within the first month..

Second time we submitted one set only. As for filling the form in English, we aren’t sure really, we never took the chance! It is after all a matter of an additional ten or so minutes at a typing centre…

Hi i just want to ask if we need to wait for 3 months after i exit Qatar to reapply again for family visit visa? I am currently in Dubai from Doha i did the exit and im stuck here because the agency cant give me the business visa for me to work in a bank and they left me hanging here.

Good evening!.Is there any chance if i will apply visit visa for my wife but my visa here is carpenter but actually i am working as civil engineer and i have all my college documents attested already.Please let me know..Thank you in advance.

Hey Ronald! I am no expert, but I assume a visit visa should not be much of a problem. Why don’t you just submit an application anyway, irrespective of what you hear or what people tell you…. Nothing to lose friend! Do submit your bank statements and college documents, just in case…they might help…